Joyce Ervine (Robinson) Sykes, 92, of South Bristol, passed away on Feb. 24, 2026 after a brief illness at Mid Coast Hospital in Brunswick. Joyce was born July 31, 1933 to Gwendolyn (Ervine) Robinson and Radcliff Perkins Robinson in Damariscotta. Joyce spent her childhood years with her grandparents, Lora (Brackett) Ervine and William Upton Ervine, in Pemaquid.
She moved to Damariscotta to live with her father Radcliff and stepmother Martha when she started high school so she could attend Lincoln Academy. After graduating she met Richard H. Sykes Jr., of New Harbor, and they were married in 1952. The couple moved to the south side of New Harbor, where they settled and started a family.
Joyce is fondly remembered by neighborhood children for her servings of Tang and cheese sandwiches. Joyce maintained friendships with many of these children; of special note, Pam Hupper Schaffer.
Joyce and Bub moved to South Bristol in the mid-1980s. Joyce lost her husband “Bub” in 1999. She is remembered as saying life was forever changed by his death.
Joyce is predeceased by her parents; husband, Richard H. Sykes; her brothers, David Robinson and Paul Robinson.
Joyce is survived by her sister, Diane Robinson Chase, (also her nephew Adam Robinson), of Sangerville; sons, Erick (Amy) Sykes, of South Bristol, Mark Sykes, of Friendship, Aaron (Christy) Sykes, of South Bristol; grandchildren: Amanda, Ashley, Larissa, Stacie, Shann, Timothy, and April; and great-grandchildren: Avalee, Chloe, Camden, Ainsley, Kai, and Wylder.
Joyce will be remembered for her no-nonsense attitude and her love of animals, plants, and genealogy. She had an actual indoor fish pond in her house in South Bristol with plants to rival any greenhouse. Over the years she raised toy fox terriers, rabbits, and multiple kinds of birds. When she went into assisted living two years ago, she still maintained multiple aquariums of fish and many plants.
She was proud to be related to Frances Perkins, the first woman secretary of labor. She was also proud of surviving stage four lymphoma in the 1970s and making it into her 90s.
She was a dedicated genealogist and spent many a day at the library in Augusta. All her documentation was donated to the Old Bristol Historical Society about a year ago at her request. In her younger years she loved performing with the Bristol Footlighters and had a great singing voice.
Joyce also was a good artist and very crafty. She crocheted many sweaters and hats for her grandchildren over the years. Joyce was an avid reader and especially enjoyed horror stories and movies. She is credited with imparting that love of genre to her granddaughters Amanda and Ashley.
She spent the last two years of her life in assisted living at Round Pond Green, where even though she had lost her sight, they took her to classes at the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, which she enjoyed.
Joyce requested no service or memorial. She will be laid to rest in Round Pond in the spring with her beloved Bub and grandparents in a private gathering.
